Coaster for drinking glasses and the like



Jan. 29, 1957 D. M. DAVIS COASTER FOR DRINKING GLASSES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 24, 1956 INVENTOR flomldjll. Dwvis ATTORNEYS United States Patent COASTER FOR DRINKING GLASSES AND THE LIKE Donald M. Davis, Fort Payne, Ala., assignor to Hi-Jac l()Zorporation, Fort Payne, Ala., a corporation of Alaama Application January 24, 1956, Serial No. 560,958

9 Claims. (Cl. 215-1005) The present invention relates to coasters for drinking vessels such as drinking glasses. Coasters for drinking glasses have frequently been used in the past for the primary purpose of preventing moisture or condensation forming on the exterior of the glasses from damaging surfaces on which the glasses rest and to prevent such moisture or condensation from dripping while .the glasses are being used. The present invention relates to improvements in coasters for this purpose.

The coaster of the present invention consists essentially of a ring-like body member, which is open at least at its upper end to receive the bottom of a drinking glass, and a tubular fabric sleeve member of moisture absorbent textile material.

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A tubular fabric sleeve member is designated generally by the reference numeral 5. This sleeve member is prefence numeral 6 as surrounding and constricting the open Y 11 thereof are illustrated as being formed of terry knit The upper portion 12 of the sleeve member 5 lower end portion 7 of the sleeve member. A plurality of stretchable yarns 8 are incorporated in and constrict the open upper end 9 of the sleeve member. An intermediate portion 10 of the sleeve member 5 and the lower portion fabric. is illustrated as formed of plain knit fabric.

A ring-like body member is illustrated in Figure 2 and is designated by the reference numeral 13. The body member 13 may be formed of any more or less rigid material such as plastic and as illustrated in Figure 2 is of inverted frusto-conical shape. The body member 13 is illustrated as being open at its upper and lower ends.

The body member .13 may be inserted through the upper end 9 of the sleeve member 5 by stretching the yarns The sleeve member at least partially f covers the lower end of the body member, completely covers the outer surface of the body member, and extends downwardly into the interior of the body member to form a fabric liner for the interior surface of the body member.

,into the larger upper end of the body member 13. The

The tubular sleeve member is removable from the body member for Washing or cleaning.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide a coaster for a drinking glass and the like which can easily be applied to the glass after the glass 8. The upper end portions 12.0f the sleevemember Patented Jan. 29, 1957.

may then be positioned in the interior of the body membet as illustrated in Figure 2. A drinking glass 14 or other similar vessel may then have its bottom inserted upperportion 12 of the sleeve member forms an absorbent textile liner between the exterior of the glass 14 and the interior surface of .the' body member 13. The constricted upper end 9 of the sleeve member remains more C il'fiOI less constricted during use of the coaster and, as seen has been filled and which provides a relatively wide and tip-proof base of decorative character which is securely held by the glass.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coaster for a drinking glass or the like which substantially eliminates any possibility of condensation running or dripping from the exterior of the glass on to a supporting surface or on to the clothing of a user of the glass.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coaster having the foregoing objects and advantages which does not conceal the decoration appearing on the side of a drinking glass.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a coaster which will fit a wide variety of sizes of drinking glasses or similar vessels.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coaster having a more or less rigid body member and a decorative and moisture-absorbent sleeve-like cover and lining which can be removed from the body member for washing or cleaning.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention can be better understood by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of a tubular fabric sleeve member forming a part of the coaster; l t

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the assembled coaster having a drinking glass positioned therein;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating a modified form of the invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a further modified form of body member for the coaster; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of still a further modified form of body member for the coaster.

in Figure 2, underlies a portion of the bottom of the glass 14. The lower end 7 of the sleeve member also remains at least partially constricted during use of the coaster. The bottom portion 11 of the sleeve member forms a cushion for the lower edge of the body member 13 and also provides an absorbent base to prevent moisture from collecting on a surface on which the coaster may rest.

The glass 14 will normally be securely wedged within the coaster because of the taper of the body member 13 and the taper of the glass 14. However, it is not essential that the body member 13 and the glass 14 have similar tapers because of the fact that the resiliently constricted end 9 of the fabric sleeve 5 acts to cushion the glass14 against entering too far into the body member v 13. When it.is desired to use the .coaster illustrated in Figure 2 with glasses having .a smaller base, the body member 13 may be inverted within the sleeve member 5 and the coaster will function in a satisfactory manner.

The terry knit portions 10 and 11 of the sleeve member 5 are preferably of such extent that they constitute the only exposed portions of the sleeve member when the coaster is in use. In other words, the plain knit portion 12 of the sleeve member 5' is preferably the,portion of the sleeve member which forms the liner between the glass 14 andthe body member 13.

The coaster covers only the lower portion of the glass 14. Hence any decoration on the glass will remain reference numeralsare used thereon. The body member lsillustrated in-Figure 3"is constructed 'of resiliently stretchable material such as "rubber and is preferably normally cylindricaln Thesleeve memberS is positioned on, the body member 15 inthe manner described above. When the bottom-of the glass 14is'in'serted in the coaster the upper portion of, the body member;v 15 will" be stretched and deformed asindicated in Figure 3. This form v,ofthe coaster can thus be use.d.1with glasses 14 having bottoms of a variety'of diameters.

Figure 4 illustrated a modified form of body member which is designated generally by the reference. numeral 16.,v The body member 16 consists of a laminated core 17 oflmaterial such, as paper which may be wound to form, the body member of inverted, frusto-conical shape. All, surfaces "of laminated, core 17 arecovered by any suitablemoisture resistant coating 18. The body member 16 may be, used in the same manner as the body member 13 illustrated in .Figuret2 Figure illustrates a further modified form of body member which is designated generally by the reference numeral 19. The body member 19 is in the form of a ring which is split as indicated at 20. The split ring may be either cylindrical or frusto-conical and may be formed members may have printed matter, such as instructions, v

trademarks, oradvertising material thereon,

It will be seen from the foregoing description that I have provided coasters having the advantagesenumerated above, The assembled coasters themselves are decorative and do not conceal decorations. on the glasses. The coastters are held securely on,.the glassesand provide stable bases for the glasses. Moisture-condensing on the glasses must saturate the portion 12 of the fabric sleeve member before moisture can accumulate in theportion 11 of the sleeve member which. engages the surface on which the coaster rests. It is thus possible for the coaster. to absorb a considerable amount of. moisture before there is any likelihood ofdamage, to the surface on which the coaster rests.

Although the sleeve member 5fis preferably of knit fabric because of the inherent resiliency ofsuch fabric, it is possible to form the sleeve member of woven or othertypes of, fabric. The use. of aterry knit fabric on theeportions, of the. sleeve member. which areexppsed'idun ing use ofithecoasterispreferred because ofthe decora-, tive and cushioning effect of suchfabric, but other deco;-

rative schemes may be resortedfltQ, .such astheuse of patterns in the fabric.

I have illustrated and described what I now consider to be the preferred forms ofthe invention. It will be understoodthat variations may be made without departing from. the, broader, scope of, the invention which, is .de-.

fined.byihe.following-shims,

Having thus described myinyention-,;,;I claim-;,, 1.. A-;, coaster; for; drinking vesselsg..,comp tising;, a ringlikemember; of inverted .frustoeconical ..shape,open.; at its. upper and lower ends and arranged to receive the bottom.

of a drinking vessel within the larger upper end thereof,

and a-generally tubular fabric sleeve member of moisture absorbent textile material, an intermediate portion of the length of said sleeve member surrounding and covering the outer surface of said body member, the lower end portion of said sleeve member. being constricted to a reduced diameter and at least partially closing the lower end of said body member-,Vthe upper-end portion of said sleeve member beingresiliently constricted to a reduced diameter and extendingdownwardly into. theinterior of portions, to diameters less than the minimum diameter of said body member, the intermediate portion of the length of said sleeve member surrounding and covering the outersurface of said body member, one end portion of. said sleeve member partially closing the lower end of said body member, and the opposite end portion of. said sleeve member extending over the upper end of said body member anddownwardly into saidbody member to form a fabric lining for the upper portion of the interior of said body member.

3.'A coaster as defined by claim 2 in which at least said intermediate. portion of said sleeve memberv is of terry knit'fabric,

4. A coaster for drinking vessels comprising a ringlikebody member open at its upper end and arranged to receive the bottom of a drinking vessel therein, and a generally tubular fabricsleeve member of moisture absorbent textile" material, an intermediate. portion. of the length ,of said sleeve member surrounding and covering the outer surface of said body member, the upper and lower endportions of said sleeve member being of lesser diameter than said intermediate portion thereof, the lower end portion of said sleevemember extending beneath the lower end of said body member, to form a fabric base for said coaster, and the upper end portion of said sleeve member extending over the top of said body member and downwardly into the. interior of said body member to provide a fabric liner for at least the upper portion of the inner surface of said body member.

5., A coaster as defined by claim 4 in which said ringlike body member is of resiliently stretchable material to enable the coaster to accommodate drinking vessel bottoms of different sizes.

6. A coaster as defined by claim 4 in which said ringlike bodymember isof inverted frusto-conical shape.

7'. A coaster as defined by claim 4 in which at least.

said intermcdiate. portion of the length of.'said sleeve member is off terry knit fabric.

8. A coaster as defined by claim4 in whichsaid sleeve member is of knit fabric and in which saidupper and lower end portions thereof have resiliently stretchable yarns extending therearound to permit said upper and lower end portions to be resiliently stretched tov increase the di'ametersithereof.

9. A'coaster as defined by claim 4 in which said body member is a split ring;

No references cited.

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